'Every police vehicle must have bluebooks. Every driver should have a valid driving license. Traffic laws must be obeyed'

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia said there will be strict action taken, if any member of police is found violating traffic rules.

He made the statement in the traffic awareness program held on Saturday at the Shahbagh intersection area’s traffic police box.

The DMP chief said: “Every police vehicle must have bluebooks. Every driver should have a valid driving license. Traffic laws must be obeyed. ”

DMP commissioner said police cannot break traffic rules, they are nor above the law. “Already there have been legal action taken against some police members for traffic rule violation and there will be many more, if found guilty,” the DMP chief added.

He further said: “Many a time we had to compromise due to pressure from influential people, but we do want that.”

The DMP chief told the bus owners to stop racing on the streets. Picking and dropping off passengers in the middle of the road must be stopped at any cost. They just simply cannot stop anywhere they feel like. If necessary, the bus owners and police together must sit with the drivers.

He added: “The pedestrians are also to be blamed, as they do not use over bridge or zebra crossings, and they carelessly speak or listen to music while crossing the roads. This attitude needs to be fixed, without only blaming drivers.”

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman said: “There are infrastructural problems in the country. There is no under pass in Dhaka. If these are not arranged, such a large population cannot be controlled.”

Veteran Bangladeshi actor Ilias Kanchan and founder of road safety organization Nirapad Sharak Chai said: “90% of the population do not follow the rules. It is not possible for the police alone to control this situation.

“All government, non-governmental organizations including drivers, bus owners should be given three months’ time, during which they will teach drivers and workers about traffic rules.”

He added: ‘After three months, if someone breaks the law, the authorities will fine not only the drivers but also the company. This will force everyone to strictly follow the traffic laws.”

After the program, a procession came out from the spot and went to the Faculty of Fine Arts of Dhaka University and returned to the Shahbagh intersection.